Wong, T K and Logcher, R D (1986) Contractors in cyclical economic environments. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 112(3), pp. 310-325. ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
This study investigated how the performance of construction firms during different extremes in the business cycle was impacted by a variety of the firms' characteristics. A performance index for a firm’s relative market performance was devised and used with a step-wise regression technique to model the relationships between operational variables and the performance index. Ten interviews with senior construction executives were conducted to guide the development of the model. The results show that a firm’s relative market performance can be influenced by: Efforts in planning and control; control at firm level; effectiveness of project planning and control; efforts in marketing; effectiveness of marketing; subcontracting; long-range planning; safety; geographic diversification; technological competence; and union/open-shop construction. Significance varied with cycle point and size. Recommendations are made on how to improve a contractor’s performance in cyclical business environments.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Index terms: | construction firm, effectiveness, diversification, executive, interview, competence, subcontracting, marketing, project planning |
| Subjects: | market analysis, business, data collection methods, organization, practitioner, performance management, personnel development, control systems |
| Topics: | Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Supply Chain Management, Project Management, Business Strategy, Quality Management, Human Resources |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here